Higanbana
by Dementra
Summary: WIP. AU. From the cold and death of Winter comes the warmth and birth of Spring. OC reincarnates as Sakura. Not OP!Sakura. Pairings undecided. Crossposted on AO3.
1. Chapter 1

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** For those who follow me on FFNet, you would probably notice that the chapters in this fanfic are much shorter than how I usually write them, but I'm trying out a new writing style. The pairings are undecided, but you can vote in the reviews if you want to. You're welcome to suggest heterosexual, homosexual, asexual, etc., pairings, though there's no guaranteed that I'll write them. Also, this fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra.

 **Chapter 1**

 _She peers into the microscope, observing how this genetically modified bacteria react to another strain of bacteria. Hm… They seem to be-_

" _Stop! Don't add that!"_

 _She looks up, just in time to see the contents in a beaker burst into flames, but before anyone could even think about putting it out, it spreads over to the flammable compounds the idiot intern had dropped when startled by the shout. And in an extremely bad chain reaction caused by bad luck and idiots who didn't properly secure other volatile compounds, a huge explosion occurs mere seconds later._

 _A scream tears from her throat as she is blasted backwards. Then, she sits there, dazed from the blow to the head, until her mind finally registers the heat searing into her body and the bright flames hurting her eyes._ Danger. I need to leave. Now. _She reaches up with a hand, using the lab table behind her to help her stand up, only to pause and gasp when the movement draws her attention to the pipe impaling her torso, just below her breasts._

 _Somehow, her mind dissociates itself from the horror, allowing her to almost curiously examine her situation instead of panicking. Liquid enters her trachea, making her cough out of reflex, spraying blood into her hand._ Oh, it must've nicked my lungs. _While she may not be a doctor, she knows that she shouldn't move and risk jarring the pipe, nor should she remove it right now since it's preventing her from quickly bleeding out._ Then again _, she thinks as she coughs out another glob of blood,_ this slow internal bleeding isn't pleasant either.

 _She tries getting up again, eventually succeeding despite the pain. Her body slouches as she makes her way to the exit as quickly as her body allows, with one hand wrapped around the pipe and the other one using the table as a crutch. On her way out, she observes the rest of the room through half-lidded eyes. The idiot intern and his supervisor, being the closest to the explosion, were likely dead. Another scientist is screaming as he frantically rolls on the ground, smacking his clothes and dressed in fire. She can also see a pair of legs peeking from behind a nearby table; they probably have been knocked unconscious. There should be another two working in this lab, but she can't see them from her spot._

 _The smoke gets heavier even as the water sprinkler tries to quench the flames, but a chemically-induced fire this big to difficult to extinguish; and it is only increasing as more flammable items gets within its reach._ I'm going to die here, _she acknowledges as the screams stop when the other scientist finally succumbs to the flames. With how slow she is moving and how far the outside exit is, either the thick smoke with suffocate her first or she will get very closely acquainted with the fire or her wounds will do her in. And she has no intention on being burnt alive unlike that poor sod._

 _Steeling herself, she leans against the wall and wraps both hands around the pipe. With a hoarse cry, she pulls it out and drops it on the ground. Her body immediately slacks from the pain and the increased blood loss._ There _, she pants, sliding down and leaving a trail of blood behind_ , now hopefully I'll die before the flames get to me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** The pairings are undecided, but you can vote in the reviews if you want to. You're welcome to suggest heterosexual, homosexual, asexual, etc., pairings, though there's no guaranteed that I'll write them. Also, this fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra.

 **Chapter 2**

Haruno Sakura has always been an easy and quiet child. Unlike most babies, she wasn't born crying. In fact, after a brief scan of the room with eyes that shouldn't be developed enough to properly see, she just yawned and fell asleep in the medic's arms, still wrinkled and covered in blood. And once they were well enough to return home, neither Mebuki nor her husband, Kizashi, had experienced the horror stories others had about their child. Sakura wasn't a fussy baby and she hardly ever woke them up with her wailings unless she dirtied her diapers at night.

But she is also a very curious and intelligent child, a genius in the making, much to Mebuki's delight and worry. Sakura learned to crawl at five months old and then to walk mere weeks afterwards. From then on, there was no stopping her from exploring every crack and cranny of their house, often asking her first and favourite word, "Nani?", whether she encountered something new.

That inquisitive nature hasn't changed at all, years later. In fact, it has only grown once she discovered books at the age of two and started learning to read at an extraordinary rate. Nowadays, Sakura can often be found curled up somewhere with an open book in her lap.

As much as Mebuki is proud of her progress, she is getting increasingly worried about her daughter's future social life. Even when they try to entice her into playing games with them, Sakura noticeably shies away from the toys, preferring her books. At this rate, she would become one of those friendless loners in class; and they don't want that for her.

Not to mention, her sharp mind and calm demeanor uncomfortably reminds Mebuki of prodigies like Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Itachi, whose talents just seem to isolate them from the rest and encourage their commanders to put them onto the field at the earliest opportunity. As a loyal ninja of the village, she can understand why, especially when they were unfortunately present during the times of war; but as a mother, she can't bear to have her daughter be exposed to the darkness of this world so soon. She can only hope and pray that Sakura is only a genius in mind and not as much in ninja arts.


	3. Chapter 3

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** The pairings are undecided, but you can vote in the reviews if you want to. You're welcome to suggest heterosexual, homosexual, asexual, etc., pairings, though there's no guarantee that I'll write them. Also, this fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra.

 **Chapter 3**

Sakura often dreams of impossible things — of towering buildings that reaches for the skies, of metal carriages that clog the roads and honk, of millions of people crowding the streets, of metal birds that fly through the clouds, of armoured men leaping on the moon. She doesn't always remember the details the morning after, but they always leave an impression that refuses to leave.

And sometimes, those dreams bleed into reality in the form of passing thoughts and knowledge that she really shouldn't have. She knows a language with a twenty-six letters alphabet, which seems to be a mesh of dozens of other languages and with a vocabulary that grows every year. She knows how to read complicated kanji that no one has ever taught her. She recognizes the names and properties of elements and chemical compounds she has never heard of. She knows the molecules that can wreak havoc on the human body.

But she knows nothing of the people who defies gravity and the laws of physics, who controls the elements with nothing more than a few hand signs, with wears weapons in plain sight with no one staring warily at them.

So, she asks her parents who do the same; and she learns. She learns about ninja, Konoha, and the Will of Fire. She learns, briefly, about other ninja villages and past wars. She learns about the impossibilities of chakra that exists within every living being. She learns about the concepts of ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu.

It still isn't enough for her curious mind (the excitement of learning something _new_!), and so, in the next day, they bring her to her new favourite place in Konoha — the general library.

Most of the library is barred from her access due to her status as a civilian child, but what she can get her hands on is still enough to satisfy her for the moment. (Her parents are amused when she tells them, solemnly and determinedly in her high-pitched voice, that she wants to become a ninja so that she can read the rest of the books.) And in the following weeks, she becomes very acquainted with the librarians and they with her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** The pairings are undecided, but you can vote in the reviews if you want to. You're welcome to suggest heterosexual, homosexual, asexual, etc., pairings, though there's no guarantee that I'll write them. Also, this fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra.

 **Chapter 4**

"Kyaaa! _Look! Look! ***! My new SasuNaru doujins are finally here!" her roommate squeals, hugging the package to her chest._

 _*** sighs, looking up from her biochemistry textbook, "Ayako, if you have enough time to obsess over fictional characters' fictional relationships, then you really should have enough time to finish your homework. Your paper's due tomorrow in class, remember? And you haven't even finished it yet."_

" _I can always do it later," she says, flopping down onto the couch. "But for now…" She squeals again, planting a loud kiss on the doujinshi's cover._

" _What's so good them anyways? And didn't you tell me that those boys aren't really together in the actual series?"_

 _Ayako huffs, "Yeah, well, it's obvious that Sasuke's going to end up with Sakura and Naruto with Hinata in the manga. But those girls are just_ meh _, because Kishimoto isn't good at writing female characters. He even admitted it himself. Sasuke and Naruto, on the other hand, has a bromance so epic it really should become a romance. And there are_ sooooo _many examples of this in the manga. You see, there's the kiss—"_

 _*** groans, already deeply regretting sending her roommate on yet another_ Naruto _rant._


	5. Chapter 5

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra.

Current pairings vote:

Canon 2

None 2

 **Chapter 5**

Sakura stares at the scene in front of her — a bunch of noisy children shrieking in laughter as they tumble around and chase each other around the playground — and then up towards her mom. "Do I _have_ to, kaa-san?" she whines, nose wrinkling in distaste.

Mebuki just smile, gently pushing her back, "Go on now, Sakura. Play and make some friends. I'll be over there if you need anything," she says, pointing at the benches where most of the parents were conversing together.

The five-year-old pouts and grumbles, "Fine." Another quick scan of the area tells her that the sandpit has the least amount of kids, so she heads towards it, dragging her feet. She would really rather be alone with her book, but her mom is holding it hostage right now.

She plops her bottom down onto the sand and starts playing around with it half-heartedly, making hills and holes here and there. But, she quickly gets bored of it in a few minutes and turns to the only other occupant of this sandpit, hoping to get at least _some_ entertainment.

"Hi, I'm Haruno Sakura. Who are you?" she states bluntly.

Almost a meter away, wide blue eyes stare at her in shock. Then he points at himself, asking, "M-Me?"

She huffs, crossing her arms, "No, I'm talking to the tree over there. _Of course_ , I meant you, dummy. So, what's your name?"

"Na-Na-Naruto," he stammers before looking more confident. "Uzumaki Naruto."

That name… She recognizes it somehow, despite never even having met him before. _He's important_ , something inside tells her. She doesn't know how, and she doesn't know why, but this boy sitting in front of her is important, will be very important. (A friend told her, she thinks, but that couldn't possibly be right when she never had a friend in the first place.) _(Ayako… Ayako…_ _Who is Ayako?)_

(The part of her that dislikes troublesome things says to leave him alone because he will the center of chaos and danger. Another part, the sly, manipulative, adult part of her whispers how his future charisma and power will move mountains for those he loves; and it would do her well to secure his loyalties now, especially when she plans to partake the path of the ninja. _(This world is dangerous_ , her inner voice says, _her best shot at survival and gaining more knowledge is to become a shinobi worthy of fear and respect.)_ The child within, a part that tends to get ignored in favour of the world of books and knowledge, pleas for a companion, a friend.

That conflicting mix of thoughts and emotions passes her subconsciousness within seconds and eventually comes to a conclusion that is shared by her consciousness.)

"Okay, playing in the sand is boring and it's too noisy over there," Sakura says matter-of-factly, waving a hand at the playset where most of the children are conjugated. "Kaa-san says I need to play here for at least an hour or I won't get my book back till after dinner. Do you have any suggestions on what we should do?"

Once again, he looks startled, like a rabbit under the gaze of a predator. "I-I um… I don't know?"

"Alright, I like books and stories. Do you want to play the story game?"

Naruto blinks at her, cocking his head to the side, confused, "The story game?"

"The story game," she repeats, nodding. "I start off the story. Then you continue it. Then me. Then you. And so on, until we finish our story. Do you want to play?"

A toothy grin spreads on his face, stretching the whisker marks that she really wants to ask about (but her mom has always told her about being polite, so maybe next time), "Yeah, Sakura-chan!"

"Once upon a time, there is a Konoha ninja called Arashi and he wants to become the Hokage. Your turn, Naruto-kun."

As the hour goes by, under the playful enthusiastic Naruto and the calmer but more detailed Sakura's command, Arashi faces several adventures, including, but not limited to, encountering missing-nins, braving dragons and other monsters, rescuing princesses, and saving kittens. But before he could make it to becoming a Hokage, her mom arrives.

"Sakura, it's time to—" Mebuki freeze in her tracks when she finally notices who her daughter was playing with and her smile instantly drops, "Oh…"

Noticing how Naruto is retreating into himself like he did at the beginning and how her mom is staring at the boy warily, Sakura stands up, putting herself between them, smiling, "Kaa-san, this is my new friend, Naruto-kun. He's very good at telling stories."

"I… Sakura…" the older woman says, eyebrows furrowed and slightly looking away. "That boy… You shouldn't…"

Not looking away, Sakura reaches backwards, taking a hold of Naruto's shirt, when she notices him shifting away from the corner of her eyes. "Kaa-san," she says slowly, "Naruto-kun is my _friend_."

Mebuki stares at them indecisively for a moment before sighing, "Alright, Sakura, alright."


	6. Chapter 6

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra.

Current pairings vote:

Canon 2

None 2

 **Chapter 6**

"Jiji!" Naruto exclaims, bursting into his office. "Guess what? Guess what?" he says, bouncing up to his desk with a wide grin on his face.

Placing down his quill, Sarutobi Hiruzen smiles and leans forward, "What is it, Naruto-kun?"

"I made a new friend!"

The Hokage freezes for a split second before relaxing again. "Oh, can you tell me about them?" he asks, even as his aged but still sharp mind whirls over this unexpected, but not entirely unwelcomed, event. As much as he loved this village (and, by God, his truly did), he also wasn't mind to its darkness, and one of them, to his greatest regret, is how poorly Naruto is treated by most of its citizens.

Nearly everyone is haunted by That Night one way or another. Not only did the Kyuubi directly damaged its surroundings and killed many, its malevolent chakra also had a negative affect on babies, toddlers, and pregnant women. It is common knowledge that young children should not be directly exposed to chakra in their early years, even medical chakra, since the foreign chakra could seriously damage their still developing chakra coils and may even kill them with an overdose. And since the Kyuubi's chakra was very potent, more than half of the infants and toddlers and some of the intense care patients and elderly died that night, despite being safely kept in the shelters or hospital. Moreover, they later discovered that the Kyuubi also affected pregnant women. Many of the children who were born within nine months of that night had weaker bodies and developmental problems, with the damage varying depending on their ninja heritage and which trimester the mother was in during the attack.

That is one of the main reasons why parents tend to keep their children away from Naruto, fearing that they will be further affected by the Kyuubi. Of course, many civilians are also completely ignorant about fuinjutsu, so they aren't completely convinced that the Kyuubi can't escape or that the Kyuubi hasn't influenced the boy in some way. And even the shinobi who knows better are often blinded by their grief from their loss and the horror they had experienced that night. Not to mention, there are political concerns regarding the clans' involvement (or lack thereof) in Naruto's life, which is one of the reasons why he is still an unadopted orphan, a ward of the state.

Sigh… He really is getting too old for this. If only Minato-kun is still alive…

"—And then Sakura-chan said that we can play together again tomorrow!" Naruto cheers, finishing the story Hiruzen was only half-listening to (the perks of learning how to split his attention during his jounin-sensei years and during tedious council meetings).

"That's very nice of her. I'm really happy that you've made a new friend, Naruto-kun." And he truly is, despite his misgivings about this situation due to being a paranoid shinobi and the leader of a ninja village.

After a longer chat and a dinner consisting of take-out ramen delivered by ANBU, Naruto eventually leaves for home. Then, as much as Hiruzen is happy for Naruto, he is still the Hokage and he needs to make sure that this Sakura-chan isn't part of a ploy to use the young jinchuuriki, so he calls out for, "Tora."

The ANBU instantly appears before him, crouched down on one knee.

"Tell me what you know about Sakura."

"Haruno Sakura, the only daughter of chuunin Haruno Kizashi and chuunin Haruno Mebuki. She seems to dislike playing with other children, so she decided to go to the sandpit which was less crowded due to Naruto's presence. She said they were noisy. After playing in the sand alone for a few minutes, she got bored and decided to interact with Naruto. She taught him the story game, in which the players take turn adding to a story. When Haruno Mebuki came to pick her up, Haruno was obviously hesitant about Naruto's presence, but Sakura," here, Hiruzen noticed a warmer tone of voice, "defended Naruto and declared him as her friend. Haruno eventually relented and Sakura invited Naruto to play again tomorrow."

Hiruzen breathes out a trail of pipe smoke, "Keep me updated about their progress."

"Hai."


	7. Chapter 7

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 2

None 5

(You can add main and side pairings to this list)

 **Chapter 7**

 _*** is in love. At the tender age of eight, she knows she's in love. Words can't begin to describe how the world around her fades away when she enters the building, eyes feasting on the object of her desire; how her fingers tingle while stoking their skin; how all her worries and grief are easily chased by their words; how she can spend hours upon hours here, basking upon their presence._

 _She doesn't understand how other children her age prefers to run around at the nearby playground, hurting ears with their shrieking and getting themselves dirty. How can they not love the information and adventures stored within millions of books? To learn from them. To set sail on the seven seas, cross scorching deserts, and climb treacherous mountains. To journey through space and time. To see animals and plants across the world._

 _Yes, what's not to love about books?_


	8. Chapter 8

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 2

None 5

(You can add main and side pairings to this list)

 **Chapter 8**

Weeks after their first meeting, Naruto is still riding the high from having his very first friend. Sure, Sakura-chan is quiet, super smart, and prefers reading books over playing games, but she's still his _friend_. (That word still makes him grin whenever it comes up.)

After she learns that he doesn't know how to read or write, she immediately sits him down and forces him to learn. Not that he's complaining, of course! Much. Sakura-chan's his friend; and he will enjoy anything that they do together.

(Deep down, he's still afraid — afraid that this is all just a dream, that she will wake up and see him as a monster like everyone else; afraid that if he doesn't grasp onto every opportunity to be with her, to do the things she likes, she will eventually turn him away.)

He loves her smiles, especially the smiles that are made _just for him_ when she's proud of him for doing something right. He also loves her quiet laughter and the way she prefers him over the other children (when it was always the other way around before). He loves how she never calls him dumb, unless in a teasing way, and how she patiently teaches him things when his stupid brain just simply refuses the remember the details. (Sakura-chan's really smart and knows nearly anything!)

In between their reading lessons, they also play games, like regular tag, blindfold tag, balloon tag, hide and seek, the quiet game, solving puzzles, people watch and more. Some of them are really boring, but she says that those are games that will help them become better ninja in the future. He doesn't really understand how, but he trusts in her knowledge.

He has never been happier since that day in the sandpit.

He loves her. He really does.


	9. Chapter 9

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 2

None 5

(You can add main and side pairings to this list)

 **Chapter 9**

Once again, Sakura can be found sitting in the corner of the library is that practically reserved for her, with numerous books piled on the desk. Today, she started out with a general history book about the founding of Konoha, when she stumbled across a name that's very familiar to her by now — Uzumaki. After that, she pulled off all the books that could possibly contain information about it off the shelves.

 _Shodaime Hokage Senju Harashima married Uzumaki Mito, granddaughter of Shodaime Uzukage, securing an alliance between the two villages…_

 _In the Second Shinobi War, Kiri and Kumo banded together to wipe out Uzushio in fear of their fuinjutsu. It is to Konoha's shame that its shinobi did not arrive in time to prevent the massacre of its sister village […]_

 _It is said that the whole island village of Uzushiogakure was pulled from the seas by their Shodaime, Uzumaki Saito, and his clansmen. That is why their architecture is unlike anything anyone has seen before […]_

 _Uzushio's main clans are the Uzumaki, the Okami, the Ikura […]_

 _The Uzumaki clan is known for their distinctive red hair, dense chakra, and fuinjutsu […]_

 _Some even possess chakra chains and the ability to heal others through chakra transferral […]_

 _Uzumaki Mito helped Senju Hashirama subdue the Kyuubi no Kitsune when Uchiha Madara used it as a weapon of mass destruction under the control of his Sharingan […]_

 _They later did the same to the other eight bijuu, gifting them to the other villages for a peace treaty after the First Shinobi War […]_

 _No one knows where the nine bijuu came from, but it is speculated that they were present even during the time of the Sage of the Six Paths. They are creatures comprised entirely of chakra, making them immortal and impossible to be killed. However, as demonstrated by Uzumaki Mito, it is possible to seal them away into human containers, the jinchuuriki […]_

 _On the night of October 10, the Kyuubi no Kitsune suddenly attacked […] Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato died killing the Kyuubi […]_

Sakura leans back against the chair, processing the information dump. The books aren't that detailed (probably since this is accessible to civilians), but she can infer enough from them. More importantly, she can now put together the puzzle about Naruto, the villagers' attitude towards him, the Hokage's close relationship with the orphan, and the ANBU that she sometimes glimpsed around her friend.

The Kyuubi is a bijuu. Bijuu cannot be killed, but they can be sealed into humans. Naruto was born five years ago on October 10. The Kyuubi attacked and was reportedly killed five years ago on October 10. The villagers hate and fear Naruto, often calling him the demon child. The Kyuubi wasn't killed. It was sealed into Naruto, making him a jinchuuriki. That is why the Hokage and ANBU keep an eye on him.

And as much as she'd love to share Naruto's clan history with him, she can't, not when Naruto is an impulsive loudmouth who doesn't know how to lie properly, especially to people he likes (and the Hokage is one of them). The Hokage, and the ANBU by extension, is likely also keeping an eye on her due to her friendship with Naruto.

She might can into trouble for knowing this; and in a ninja village, getting into trouble can be a _very_ bad thing.

No, she'll keep this to herself for now, until Naruto learns more about tact and keeping secrets.

Meanwhile, she's going to look into fuinjutsu. A ninja art that can subdue even the bijuu is a ninja art that's _definitely_ worthy to learn.


	10. Chapter 10

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 2

None 5

NaruSaku 3

(You can add main and side pairings to this list)

 **Chapter 10**

 _An infuriating noise rings in her ears; and *** grumbles at it, curling back into the safety of her blankets and covering her head with a perfectly fluffy and sound-muffling pillow. Time passes. Then, she is once more roused from her sleep when her blanket is tugged away, exposing her to the chilly air. She reaches for it blindly, but the assailant had placed it far from her reach. Frustrated, she takes her pillow, aiming for the humanoid form she sees through half-lidded eyes._

 _But, before she can throw it, a wonderful smell enters her nose — the bittersweet scent of life-giving_ ambrosia _. The zombie slowly sits up and drinks her offering, groaning in appreciation as she finally feels more human again._

 _She honestly doesn't know how their ancestors had done it, living so easily without this gift from the gods; and she highly praises those who had brought it to the human race._

 _Oh, coffee, her second love._


	11. Chapter 11

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 2

None 5

NaruSaku 3

(You can add main and side pairings to this list)

 **Chapter 11**

Sakura is an odd child in many ways.

Mebuki knows that, if it was allowed, her girl would make her home the general library and probably wouldn't come out of it for the rest of her life. As it is, her room is gradually filling up with books as well — books on history, geography, botany, anatomy, chemistry, chakra theory, fuinjutsu, and some fictional ones that Naruto prefers to learn reading from.

Speaking of the boy, she is honestly torn about the friendship Sakura has struck with him. As much as that night still haunts her — _(Malevolent chakra that appeared out of nowhere, pressing down on them and stealing their breaths. Buildings that were easily destroyed by one swing of its tail and people who were sent through the air with one swipe of its paws. The multiple chakra-draining jutsu that did absolutely nothing to stop its rampage. People who bled out, crushed under the debris. The cries of the parents who found their children dead in the safety of the shelter from chakra overload. The corpse count of over a hundred, with the majority being babies. How fortunate she was that her precious daughter wasn't one of them.)_ — she isn't an idiot who thinks the boy is the demon itself. But she's also smart enough to know that befriending him will have its consequences.

The world isn't a fair place.

Civilians are powerless; children are pushed to becoming soldiers; and some are cursed from the moment they were born. Naruto is one of them; and Sakura might be one of them, with her brilliant mind and her insatiable curiosity.

Sakura will never make a good civilian, not with her pursuit for knowledge. As she already knows, the only way to gain access to detailed and better information is to become a ninja. And becoming one is a guarantee for a life of hardship and bloodshed. (Mebuki can only hope that her daughter, with her love for knowledge, will choose a road that will keep her away from the frontlines, like becoming a researcher in the R&D Department or staying by the desks of the Intelligence Department.)

Befriending Naruto would only increase the chance of Sakura being in danger.

Most of the villagers already uses the boy as a scapegoat for their hate, fear, and grief. It wouldn't take much for them to also target Sakura for her association with him. Not to mention, it isn't unlikely that the higher ups are keeping an eye on Naruto; and as a result, they will eventually turn their scrutiny onto her daughter, if they haven't already.

Once they notice what a brilliant mind Sakura has, it wouldn't take much for them to label her as a potential prodigy. And in this world, prodigies are often pushed to their limits and spat back out damaged beyond belief.

Mebuki can only pray and hope that Sakura will not meet such as fate.


	12. Chapter 12

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

Regarding why I mainly use Mebuki's POV instead of her husband's, well, they're both chuunin and their main income comes from ninja missions. With Sakura still so young, despite her independence, they decided to have Kizashi be the main breadwinner for now, with Mebuki taking the D-ranks and the C-ranks that can be done within a day.

And for those who are still a bit confused. ***, an adult from our world, has reincarnated into Sakura, but Sakura doesn't have all her memories. All she has right now are dreams and lingering thoughts and impressions. Also, *** doesn't know much about the _Naruto_ series. Everything she knows about it comes from her friend Ayako, who also happens to be a yaoi fangirl, especially for SasuNaru.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 6

GaaSaku 2

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

(You can add main and side pairings to this list. The vote continues until the pairings are permanently written into the story, though they are subject to change, considering how exes exist in the real world.)

 **Chapter 12**

She needs it.

Sakura doesn't know what it's called, but it came to her in her dreams. They tell her that it is a gift from the gods, a bitter drink that gives people life and keeps them awake. And she needs it because her six-year-old body often crash during the night before she can finish her many, and extremely interesting, books.

She knows they are made with hot water and roasted and grinded brown beans that she still can't name, almost like tea. Some people like adding things like sugar, milk, and favoured syrup, but her dream-self prefers it plain.

The Konoha market doesn't seem to have it today though, not even the foreign merchants. Maybe the Akimichi restaurants would. As luck would have it, she has the perfect excuse.

Her stomach growls, and she quickly tugs Mebuki's pants. "Kaa-san, I'm hungry. Can we eat there?" she asks, pointing to a nearby Akimichi café. "Please?" She makes sure to widen her eyes, pouts, and tries to look as pathetic and cute as possible — an expression she learned from Naruto when he wanted to play instead of reading or when he wanted more ramen.

"Alright."

When they are seated, Sakura instantly scans the drinks menu. To her frustration, there are only teas, juices, and milk. _Well, fine,_ she huffs and crosses her arms, ignoring her mother's confusion. If necessary, she will just have to scour the land for the ingredients herself once she's old enough to leave the village by herself and make it from scratch. She absolutely refuses a reality where the gift from the gods don't exist. It just has to be in this world somewhere, waiting for the brave adventurer to find it; and she vows to be that person.


	13. Chapter 13

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 6

GaaSaku 2

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

(You can add main and side pairings to this list. The vote continues until the pairings are permanently written into the story, though they are subject to change, considering how exes exist in the real world.)

 **Chapter 13**

 _This is just the Introduction to Toxicology course, but she's already fascinated with how different toxins affect different parts of the body. It's even better than learning how different molecules and chemical signals affect one's biology. Maybe she should switch her biochemistry major and toxicology minor for a toxicology major and biochemistry minor. Or, better yet, make it a double major. There are many overlapping courses, after all; at least, during the first and second years._

 _It will take her longer to graduate and cost her much more in terms of tuition fees, but it'll be worth it._


	14. Chapter 14

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 6

GaaSaku 2

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

(You can add main and side pairings to this list. The vote continues until the pairings are permanently written into the story, though they are subject to change, considering how exes exist in the real world.)

 **Chapter 14**

She places another leaf on her arm and sends her chakra to it, careful not to unstick the other five leaves already on her. A few seconds later, she removes her hand from it; and viola! Another success! This chakra control exercise really isn't as hard as it first seems.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto whines, "Help me."

The six-year-old turns to look at him (and the leaves immediately falls off of her due to her sudden change in attention. _Hm… She would need to work on that_ ). "What is it, Naru- Oh." She immediately sees the problem when she spots the pile of shredded leaves by his side. Walking over to her friend, she asks, "Can you do it again?"

He slaps a leaf onto his forehead, channels his chakra; and it's instantly sent flying through the air, shredding in the process.

She taps her chin, thinking. The leaf exercise is supposed to be a beginner's chakra control exercise, meaning they are for those who have just ventured into the realm of chakra usage. It wouldn't be surprising if they also had small chakra reserves in the first place, making it easier for them to do relatively delicate work. But Naruto is different. The Uzumaki is said to have dense chakra as well as large chakra reserves. Not to mention, there's the possibility that being a jinchuuriki will also affect his chakra. She doesn't know much about the jinchuuriki or the seal, but it wouldn't be surprising if the bijuu can act, in some way, as an extra chakra reservoir.

"Let's try something else," she says, heading towards a nearby tree in their secluded little training ground that Naruto asked the Hokage to borrow. "I think you might have too much chakra, Naruto-kun, so maybe a genin exercise would be better. This one is called tree walking. The book says that you're supposed to channel your chakra to your feet, stick it to the tree, and then walk up."

Sakura places a foot onto the truck and channels a bit of chakra into it, slowly increasing the amount until she can feel that her foot is stuck to it. Then, she lifts her second foot, about to do the same thing, but the sudden shift in gravity disorients her, causing her to lose her concentration, and she falls down onto her back. Fortunately, it isn't much of a fall at a height of less than fifty centimeters and it will only give her a few bruises at most.

When it's Naruto's turn to try, however, the tree truck crumbles under his foot and he's slightly blasted away.

"Still too much chakra, Naruto-kun," she scolds as she readies herself again.

For the rest of the afternoon, the two friends practice tree walking until they're too exhausted to move. With Sakura's much smaller chakra reserves, she tires first, but she has also successfully run a few laps up and down the tree beforehand. Naruto, however, continues on for another two hours, eventually succeeding and reaching the top of the tree with a toothy grin, only to lose his footing when his sense of victory diverts his attention.

Sakura immediately scrambles up, rushing over and ready to cushion his falling form with her body. Luckily, his ANBU guards are much faster and one of them catches him before he reaches the ground, much to their relief.


	15. Chapter 15

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

I forgot to mention this in the last chapter, but Higan!Naruto got tree walking down much faster than canon!Naruto mainly because he's younger (and thus have relatively less chakra) and had Higan!Sakura with him, who, unlike canon!Sakura, was encouraging him the entire time, observing what he did wrong, and giving him tips.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 9

GaaSaku 3

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 1

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 1

SaiIno (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure, CoffeeSaku (if she manages to find it),

 _(You can add main and side pairings to this list. The vote continues until the pairings are permanently written into the story, though they are subject to change, considering how exes exist in the real world.)_

 **Chapter 15**

Sakura does her own chakra experiments in her bedroom, away from the prying eyes of her parents and the ANBU (at least, she hopes they only follow Naruto around; but just in case, she also shuts her curtains).

While doing chakra control exercises with her friend, she learnt that she has small reserves (compared to Naruto; she doesn't know where she ranks with the average six-year-olds) and has very good chakra control (she often gets it on her first or second try). And from books, she learnt about various chakra control exercises, the five chakra affinities, and the twelve hand seals. Like most things regarding ninja techniques, she only has access to civilian and academy student-ranked books, so there isn't much information and they aren't that detailed. (She needs to be a jounin. Now. For her books!) But, she can read between the lines and come to her own conclusions about some things. (Besides, who says that the books are always correct? She's smart enough to know that books are written by people and people aren't always right.)

So, she decides to work out the five affinities herself. The book says that everyone is born with an affinity to one or two elements, but it's possible, through training, to efficiently use all five. In fact, Sandaime Hokage is one of those who has, earning himself the nickname, The Professor. Shodaime primarily uses wood, but that's a kekkai genkai that allows him to mix earth and water in that manner. Nidaime, on the other hand, is a master of water ninjutsu, capable of pulling water out from even the driest sky of Suna. And Yondaime is wind-natured, even if he isn't famous for them. She wants to be a mix of Sandaime and Nidaime, but she's perfectly fine with being like either one of them.

Sakura starts with water, which is theoretically the easiest and safest to do at home.

Making water seem like a solid surface is conceivable, as proven by the water walking exercise, which she still hasn't tried yet. Form her experiences with the leaf and the tree walking exercises, chakra can create bonds between a solid object and herself. And from what little she knows about elemental ninjutsu, chakra can either become an element or it can manipulate it. (She still knows too little about that subject.) So, she theorizes that either chakra acts as a platform or it adheres the water molecules together until it's solid enough to stand on or it merges with the water until the user can manipulate it or perhaps it's a mix of those things or maybe none.

She hovers a hand over the bowl of water, barely getting her palm wet, and channels her chakra like she did with the tree walking exercise. She immediately notices that it takes more chakra to make her hand press firmly against the liquid than to stick to an actual solid object. As she has hypothesized, her chakra merges with the water until it forms a sort of semi-solid structure that bonds to her hand.

The girl, then, lifts up her hand, trying to see if the semi-solid water would follow, but it splashes back into the bowl instead. Hm… maybe she needs to use more chakra. Or maybe it's related to the properties of water.

She needs to try again.

(Something about this — doing experiments, seeing how one thing affects another, and the excitement of new discoveries — seems very familiar to her. Except she wasn't working with chakra, but something else. What was it?)


	16. Chapter 16

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 9

GaaSaku 3

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 1

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 1

SaiIno (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure, CoffeeSaku (if she manages to find it),

 _(You can add main and side pairings to this list. The vote continues until the pairings are permanently written into the story, though they are subject to change, considering how exes exist in the real world.)_

 **Chapter 16**

" _Come here, ***-chan," a female voice coos offscreen, "Yes, that's it now. No need to rush."_

 _The camera focuses on the chubby toddler, who is slowly taking one wobbly step at a time, face scrunched up in concentration. After what must have seemed like an eternity to her, but in reality less than a minute, she finally stumbles into her mother's lap._

 _Her mother instantly cradles her close, rubbing their cheeks together, cooing, "I'm so proud of you, darling."_

 _The camera shakes as the cameraman ventures closer to the duo, and then, a masculine hand appears on the screen, gently petting the toddler's dark locks. "Our little girl is a genius," he boasts, "She's already walking a whole month before most babies do."_

 _Decades into the future, sitting on the couch, *** smiles softly as she watches her past interactions with her dearly departed parents._


	17. Chapter 17

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

Sorry for not updating for the past four days. A few things came up, including me getting sick, but I'm going to make up for it by doing a massive update of two chapters per day I missed. So, it's ten chapters, including today's.

ElementalFoxGoddess asked about Higan!Sakura's yin chakra. Yes, she does have more yin chakra than canon!Sakura. That's one of the reasons why she doesn't have as good chakra control than canon!Sakura does. (Chakra, from my understanding, is a mix of yin and yang chakra. If you have more of one than the other, it can be harder to balance them when using chakra.) For instance, canon!Sakura masters tree walk on her first try, but it takes Higan!Sakura longer and she tends to lose control when not concentrating, at least at the beginning. But she doesn't have an abundance of yin chakra, unlike some OCs other authors created, since I think that will greatly mess with her chakra control. I think that intelligence and chakra control are two of canon!Sakura's main strengths, and I don't want to mess with that too much, even though I'm technically replacing her with an OC.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 10

GaaSaku 4

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 2

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 2

SaiIno (side) 1

LeeTen (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure,

 _(Feel free to add main and side pairings to this list.)_

 **Chapter 17**

It has been weeks since they first learnt the tree walking exercise. They practiced on trees, boulders, buildings, and even the Hokage Monument. By now, it's near instinctive for them to channel chakra into their limbs when they are met with any solid surface that doesn't keep them upright or when they are dangling from something (as a result of falling or stumbling down during practice). And to Sakura's pleasant surprise, all that chakra usage helped build up her reserves. It isn't anywhere near Naruto's, but she can now tree walk for hours longer than she used to. (It also helps that she now knows the minimum amount of chakra she needs to tree walk, which also prolongs her usage.)

Now, they are going to water walk.

Or, at least, that was the plan, right up until Sakura found out that Naruto doesn't know how to swim; so, they're still going to a calmer section of the river by the training grounds, just for a different reason.

"Do we _have_ to, Saku-chan?" Naruto whines, "Water walking is more interesting than swimming. Besides, if I can water walk, why would I need to swim?"

"Remember how long it took you to tree walk, Naru-kun?" Sakura replies, "Remember falling off those trees? When we learn water walk, we're going to be falling into the river a lot at the beginning. You're going to drown if you don't know how to swim. Besides, swimming is a very valuable skill. What if you need to find something underwater? Or fish for food? Or you're in a situation where it's better to swim than to stand on top of water. So, no, Naru-kun, we're not going to water walk until I'm satisfied that you can survive in water."

After stripping down to the shorts and undershirt, Sakura ties a rope each around their waist, connecting them to a nearby tree. "The water is calm here, but just in case," she says when he complains about it.

For the next five hours (with snack breaks in-between), she teaches him the basics of floating, water treading, doggy paddle, breaststroke, freestyle, and swimming down to the riverbed and back. While he isn't the best at it, he can at least survive in the water.


	18. Chapter 18

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 10

GaaSaku 4

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 2

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 2

SaiIno (side) 1

LeeTen (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure,

 _(Feel free to add main and side pairings to this list.)_

 **Chapter 18**

Today, they're going to water walk, dattebayo!

It took _forever_ (five days) before Saku-chan finally decided that they can stop with his swimming lessons. (The only reason they can spends hours per day training in the cool waters of the river is because it's summer right now.) And now, they can finally water walk! Isn't that cool?!

(He _loveslovesloves_ Saku-chan. Because of her, the pit of emptiness and loneliness inside him is now filled with sunshine and happiness. Because of her, he now knows how to read and write. Because of her, he can become one of those awesome ninjas! Even Hokage-jiijii is usually too busy for anything beyond the occasional quick chat and dinner.)

"Water walking is somewhat like tree walking," Sakura, his best and only friend and teacher rolled into one, explains. (And she's so _smart_! She can somehow learn anything from books while he is still having trouble with their big words and hard kanji.) "But it's a lot harder because water is liquid and it's always moving. Let's see…"

She steps out onto the water and instantly sinks down to her to knees. (This part of the river is deep enough to reach their shoulders.) Taking a few seconds to adjust her chakra, she takes another step and only sinks down halfway to her calves this time. With every step following step she takes, she gets closer to the surface until she's standing on top of the river like it's land. So cool!

"I did it!" she cheers, and promptly drops straight into the river.

Naruto rushes over, peering over the edge with anxious eyes, "Saku-chan!"

She resurfaces seconds later, spluttering and coughing, and then swims back to shore. The girl laughs sheepishly, "I may need to work on my concentration more." Then, she perks up, "Your turn, Naru-kun."

He channels chakra to his feet, takes a step forward, and immediately falls in.

But he isn't going to give up!

Naruto quickly scrambles out of the river, ready to try again.

(The ANBU watching over them can only marvel at their collective ability to learn genin techniques without a proper teacher other than books and what Sakura's prodigious mind infers from them.)


	19. Chapter 19

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 10

GaaSaku 4

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 2

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 2

SaiIno (side) 1

LeeTen (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure,

 _(Feel free to add main and side pairings to this list.)_

 **Chapter 19**

" _Hi, I'm Fujiwara Ayako!" her new roommate greets as soon as she enters their shared room. Brown eyes blink. "Wow, you look young. You sure you shouldn't be in high school instead? Or middle school?"_

" _If that were so, I wouldn't be here," *** replies calmly, too used to having schoolmates comment on her young age. "I'm *** ***. It's a pleasure to meet you." She eyes the walls on Ayako's side of the room. It's practically covered in anime and pop idol posters. Just great. A fangirl._

 _Ayako sits on her bed, bouncing a little, "So, I'm majoring in history, how about you?"_

" _Biochemistry, with a double minor in toxicology and psychology," she says, unpacking her clothes._

 _The older girl groans, lying back, "I can't imagine taking so many classes. I'd die. From homework and exams."_

" _It's a good thing I'm not you then."_

" _Mean!"_


	20. Chapter 20

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 10

GaaSaku 4

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 2

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 2

SaiIno (side) 1

LeeTen (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure,

 _(Feel free to add main and side pairings to this list.)_

 **Chapter 20**

"How are you doing that?" a new voice calls out, making Sakura sit up from where she's lying on top of the river and making Naruto stumble into the water with a startled curse. It belongs to a boy their age, with dark hair and eyes.

"It's called water walking," she replies, as the blonde climbs back on top of the river.

The brunet steps closer, wide eyed and hopeful, "Can you teach me? Please? Nii-san's out on a mission today and can't train with me."

She thinks about it for a moment, ignoring how her friend is glaring at the newcomer. This boy knows a ninja who teaches him. This can be beneficial. There are many things she can learn from books, but there are also things that she can't easily do so — taijutsu and weapons training are some of them. "Do you know how to use kunai and shuriken?"

He nods.

Sakura walks back to shore, holding out a hand. "We can teach you how to water walk. In exchange, you have to teach us how to use those weapons. Deal?"

The boy shakes her hand, grinning, "Deal!"

"I'm Haruno Sakura, and this is my friend, Uzumaki Naruto."

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke."

 _(Important_ , her inner voice whispers, _He's someone important like Naruto.)_

"So, Sasuke-kun, do you know how to tree walk?"


	21. Chapter 21

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 10

GaaSaku 4

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 2

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 2

SaiIno (side) 1

LeeTen (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure,

 _(Feel free to add main and side pairings to this list.)_

 **Chapter 21**

Adding Sasuke to their training routine is different, but nice. He doesn't always have time for them, being a clan kid and all. The boy often skips their reading and writing lessons (not that he needs them as much as Naruto), but he usually comes during their ninja training time.

When he's present, they spend the first two hours or so throwing weapons. _(Sakura's tends to be more precise, but Naruto's have more strength them. Sasuke is, of course, better than both of them at it.)_ After that, Sasuke works on tree walking _(he seems to have a similar problem of having lots of chakra, like Naruto, but seeing that he's an Uchiha, it's not that surprising)_ while the other two continues with water walking _(Sakura can now roll around on water, channeling chakra into different parts of her body as easy as breathing, and Naruto can run and jump without sinking)_.

Naruto, however, seemed to have some problems with the boy at first, being protective and possessive of Sakura's time, until she finally figured it a few training sessions later and scolded him for it. _("Naru-kun, just because Sasuke-kun is my new friend, it doesn't change the fact that you're my first friend. I won't forget about you just because I found a shiny new toy. He can't steal me away from you. And it never was only going to be you and me. Once we enter the Academy, we'll both meet more people and make more friends. Don't you want that? Having more friends?")_ Now, he's more cordial to Sasuke and even seems to be building some sort of rivalry with him.

Sasuke also brings his brother and cousin, Itachi and Shisui, with him once in a while. _(Why does she feel sorry for them whenever she sees them? Why does she think that their story will end in tragedy?)_ When the older boys aren't busy with ninja work (which rarely happens), they would even help them with their weapons training or teach them basic taijutsu.


	22. Chapter 22

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 10

GaaSaku 4

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 2

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 2

SaiIno (side) 1

LeeTen (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure,

 _(Feel free to add main and side pairings to this list.)_

 **Chapter 22**

" _Get your hands off of me," *** says, glaring up at the male who dared to lay a sleezy hand on her shoulders._

" _Aw… come on now, sweetheart, don't be like that," he crones as his two friends chuckle in the background. "Why don't you come with us and we'll show you how to have a good time."_

 _Dammit, she really should have listened to Ayako and not have gone out this late at night. But she needed more snacks to fuel her brain._

 _She steels herself. "No, means no. If you don't get your hands off of me, I won't be responsible for the consequences. You have five seconds." She counts slowly, but the boys just stare at her in amusement. "Five." As soon as it leaves her mouth, she grips that hand, spins around, and flips him over her shoulders, making him hit the ground hard._

 _His friends instantly stop smiling and now steps up to her threateningly. Well, it's a good thing that her mother made her take aikido lessons back in middle school. Now she's a black belt and more than ready to defend herself from these attackers._


	23. Chapter 23

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 10

GaaSaku 4

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 2

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 2

SaiIno (side) 1

LeeTen (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure,

 _(Feel free to add main and side pairings to this list.)_

 **Chapter 23**

It takes Sasuke a few weeks to catch up to Sakura and Naruto's level of water walking. (Sakura is the unquestionable champion out of the three in chakra control. And in the privacy of her bedroom, she can now manipulate water and soil, but not as an actual jutsu. Naruto can tumble around on water. And Sasuke run and jump on it.) By that time, the latter two have become quite good at kunai and shuriken throwing and somewhat decent at taijutsu. (Sasuke is still more skillful and often wins their spars. Naruto is more of a brawler and has surprising tactics. And Sakura is more precise in her hits, especially after reading about human anatomy, and thinks more strategically.)

Now, they are going to learn the Academy Three (mainly because only E-rank jutsu are available in the civilian section).

They sit together in a circle, as they are now prone to do whenever they have discussions, in their little training spot on Uchiha lands by the Naka River (which Sasuke showed them and was given permission by his parents to use). Sakura places her opened notebook between them, explaining,

"Bunshin no Jutsu is a genjutsu that creates intangible clones of yourself. Intangible means not being able to be touched or not having a physical presence, Naru-kun. Like ghosts, except this is a jutsu." He shudders. "Anyways, back on topic, they can be good distractions, especially when you use them alongside other jutsu. But, since they aren't actually real, they can't affect their surroundings or leave any shadows, so it's possible to see through the ruse. There are other ways of seeing through them, like having doujutsu or having superior senses. Like smell, Sasuke-kun, since they won't give off any scents either. I think Naru-kun might have the most trouble with this one since genjutsu generally requires very good chakra control. Too much or too little chakra and the genjutsu won't work as intended."

"Kawarimi no Jutsu is a ninjutsu that replaces your body with something else. It's really useful when dodging an attack since it can create an optical illusion that your opponent's attack landed and giving you an opening to launch your own attack. Or you can use it as an opportunity to escape. You have to have the target in mind before you can switch; and it has to be within the distance that your chakra can latch onto, so you will have to be really observant when using this in battle."

"Henge no Jutsu allows you to physically transform into another person or an inanimate object, which can be very useful when trying to hide or trying to trick someone. But you must have a precise image of what you're transforming into in your mind and you also have to continuously use chakra while under it. You have to pay attention to how you're interacting with your environment while under it. Unless you can master it completely, it will very likely dissipate once you are attacked. Out of the three, this is the most difficult mentally and the most chakra draining."

"So, which one should we start with first?" Sakura asks, looking at her boys.


	24. Chapter 24

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

In Japan, for the game of tag, "It" is called "Oni", or ogre.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 10

GaaSaku 4

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 2

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 2

SaiIno (side) 1

LeeTen (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure,

 _(Feel free to add main and side pairings to this list.)_

 **Chapter 24**

Kawarimi no Jutsu is the first one they try. They only needed a few hours before they are popping around the clearing, leaving behind rocks or branches in a puff of smoke. And perfect it in a matter of days after constantly playing kawarimi tag, in which the players are only allowed to use that jutsu to move around and running is prohibited. The game even manages to catch Itachi and Shisui's attention, making it harder for the three to win, which only spurns them further into mastering the technique. _("Nii-san is the oni! Hey!" "You need to be faster than that, otouto.")_ The seven/six-year-olds (Naruto is the only one still six) can now take a courtesy look around and easily pinpoint movable objects they can switch with.

Bunshin no Jutsu, as predicted by Sakura, is the one Naruto has the most trouble with while she finds it the easiest to do. Even with all the earlier chakra control practice, he tends to use more chakra than n"ecessary, overloading his clones, and making them come out horribly disfigured and discoloured. _("Saku-chan! Sasuke! Stop laughing!")_ It isn't until she tells him to produce as many clones as possible, using that same amount of chakra, instead of just one clone, that he finally gets it down — though the entire clearing instantly becomes crowded with blondes. They are still trying to help him lower his chakra input, but he isn't having too much of a success. _("Well, the examination guidelines states that the Academy only requires you to successfully perform all three jutsu. There is a minimum number of clones you have to make, but it never said anything about a maximum number, so you should be fine.")_

However, it takes them all much longer to perfect Henge no Jutsu, weeks longer. The transformation itself is simple enough and maintaining it is just a matter of how large their chakra reserves are. The real problem lies in the image of the person or thing they transform into. _("Sasuke, you got the red of Saku-chan's shirt wrong. It should be deeper than that. And her eyes should be lighter." "Sakura, the strips on Naruto's pants are wider than that." "Naru-kun, the back of Sasuke-kun's head doesn't look like that.")_ It only gets harder when they try copying the people they don't have as a model in front of them. Nevertheless, they are eventually proficient in it enough that they add all three jutsu to the kawarimi tag.

So, there are now red herrings in the form of intangible clones and oni pretending to be those they are trying to capture.

(Unbeknownst to the three children, their laughter and ingenuity brings smiles to their watchers' face, both the Uchiha, the ANBU, and the Hokage.)


	25. Chapter 25

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 10

GaaSaku 4

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 2

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 2

SaiIno (side) 1

LeeTen (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure,

 _(Feel free to add main and side pairings to this list.)_

 **Chapter 25**

" _I hate winter," *** moans, blowing her nose. Next to her bed, there's a small garbage bin that's already overflowing with crumbled tissue._

 _To the side, making her some lemon honey tea, Ayako chuckles, "That's ironic, considering your name."_

" _Yeah, well, winter is flu season, and my name didn't prevent me form catching a cold now, did it?"_


	26. Chapter 26

**Higanbana**

 **Author's Note:** This fanfic is cross-posted on AO3 under the penname Dementra. Thank you to those who gave me such nice and encouraging reviews.

 **Current pairings vote (FFNet & AO3): **

Canon 3

None 6

NaruSaku 10

GaaSaku 4

NejiSaku 1

Older/mature male & Saku 1

MultiSaku 1

NaruSakuSasu 2

SasuHina 1

KibaHina (side) 1

ShikaTem (side) 2

SaiIno (side) 1

LeeTen (side) 1

KakaAnko (side) 1

ItaHana (side) 1

JiraiTsuna (side) 1

Permanent pairings: AsuKure,

 _(Feel free to add main and side pairings to this list.)_

 **Chapter 26**

It is winter now; and they are perfectly fine despite the predictable annual rise in sick children and the elderly. Apparently, chakra boosts the immune system, especially when it's active in your system rather than merely having it passively keep you alive. That is why shinobi rarely gets sick days (disregarding injuries or poison) and why Sakura hasn't had the dreadful flu since she first started using chakra.

But, like always, there seems to be something missing. Whenever she looks at the Hokage Monument, she thinks that it should be covered in white — an influence of vague dreams where she's gliding down white-covered mountains with a pair of sticks stuck to her feet and another pair held in her hands. And for some reason, she thinks of presents as winter lingers on, even though no one she knows was born during winter. She also occasional dreams of being surrounded by images of fat old men wearing a red suit and carrying a large sack over his shoulders — she is very disturbed by her mind's imagination, especially since nothing in reality should prompt it.

 _(Is her mind warning her about kidnappers? That sack could easily fit an adult, much less a child. Is that something she's subconsciously scared of? Why? It's not like she's ever been kidnapped before nor does she know anyone who has been. Or did her mind simply combine several aspects of the things she has seen or read and turn them into a strange nightmare? Old men, the Akimichi Clan, the red of her qi pao, and kidnappers? What the heck is going on in her brain?)_


End file.
